England’s weirdest customs

Wife carrying

The practice of Wife Carrying - a race hosted annually in The
Nower, Dorking, in which men carry their partner along a hilly 380m
course - has a significantly less jovial history than the modern
event suggests. Dating back to the Viking invasion of 793 AD, the
race evolved out of the Nordics' rampage, in which a monastery was
destroyed and local women were carried off against their will. It
was only in 2008 that the tradition was revived in the UK - albeit
with a whole new, 21st century set of rules (principally
that women participate willingly).

The conditions of competing? Wives must weigh at least 50kg -
and those lacking in kilos must make up the weight in the
equivalent of baked bean cans - and must wear a helmet; and
competitors must complete the course (beset by hay-bale hurdles and
the occasional cold-water hazard). The prizes? £100 and a barrel of
Pilgrim ale for the winning couple, who will go on to participate
in the world championships in Finland; a pound of sausage for the
carrier of the heaviest wife, and mini-kegs for the runners up. The
losers can look forward to receiving a 'ceremonial' tin of dog food
and a Pot Noodle.